As engineering aspirants gear up for the 2019 JEE, the stress levels must be high; all-nighters would be a daily phenomenon and sleep may have to wait until the end of the examinations. In every IIT aspirant’s life, the JEE Main is one of the most important days as it can set a course for the next four years. After dedicating two or more years for the JEE Main preparation, the last month is extremely crucial. Here’s how students can keep the examination pressure under control and stay calm in the days leading up to JEE exam:

#1 Don’t give up and keep your morale high

As you begin your day, keep telling yourself about how much progress you’ve made and how far you have come since the previous day. Since the JEE Mains isn’t easy, it is very easy for students to give up even before they begin the race. You are the master of your decisions, so it is only you who can make it or break it for yourself. Do not doubt your capability and stay focused because as a student that is the only thing you have control over.

#2 Do not mug up concepts without understanding

Mugging up may seem like a timesaver as the JEE Mains get closer, but it could do much damage in the long run. In logical subjects like Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, its extremely important to understand the reasoning behind a phenomenon, reaction or a derivation as the exam will consist of questions where the application of the concepts is required. If you are not clear with a particular topic, go up to your teacher or a friend who can help you understand the concept.

#3 Do not refer to multiple books

As the date of the JEE Mains comes closer, panic starts to set in which could lead to making some under-thought out calls or decisions that students may take. This can include studying from multiple books that can only lead to confusion and anxiety. Follow one book that you have been referring to from the beginning as you would be most comfortable with navigating through the chapters. Picking up a new book, just a few weeks before the exam, can play with your morale and confidence.

#4 Stay away from negative people

For an engineering aspirant, the JEE Mains is nothing less than a battle that they have to fight themselves. Coaching institutes, teachers, peers and parents can only help them prepare to succeed, but it is the student who has to write the exam. Since the student is already under substantial pressure, it is essential to stay away from the nay-sayers or the people who may only demotivate them or discourage them from doing well. It could be their peers writing the exam who believe that they can get a head start by pulling others down or even friends and family members who may only offer useless advice. The serious JEE aspirants usually lock themselves up in their rooms with their books and stay away from social media, events and family gatherings till the end of the exam to avoid any distraction.

#5 Avoid copying what your peers do

Every student has their unique strengths and weaknesses. What may work for some, may not work for the others. While preparing for the JEE Mains, avoid duplicating your friend’s study routine, pattern or preparation. He/she may be able to focus well during the night and hence be able to pull off all-nighters, that may not work for you. The last few weeks leading up to the examination isn’t the time for experimentation. Do what works for you.

#6 Avoid activities which may be a waste of time

The last few weeks before the JEE Mains, is the home stretch and will require you to push yourself harder. Social Media, video games, parties and TV can wait and be avoided before the JEE Mains. Identify all those activities that you feel are a distraction in your day and consciously stay away from them till the exam. It's important to take a break between your study schedule, but many at times the study break could extend upto two or three hours making it difficult for the student to bring back the focus. Since students may find themselves cutting down on their sleep hours, it is probably a good idea to rest the mind and get some sleep in the form of a 20 min power nap. Sleeping and getting some rest helps the mind function better and can allow you to cover more syllabus than what you could achieve if you were sleep deprived.

#7 Do not skip timing yourself before the exam

In a competitive exam like the JEE Mains, most students would have studied from the same textbook, practised the same mock tests and previous exam papers and covered more or less the same amount of syllabus. The ones who end up victorious in clearing the exam are the ones who know how to manage their time during the exam and spend time only attempting the questions that they know. It's imperative to note the time you spend on each question so that you can devote an equal amount of time for each subject. Most students who complain about the examination being tough, skip this step, hence aren’t able to complete the exam.

With the above steps incorporated in your JEE Mains preparation, we hope you can stay calm and focused before you take the examination.

All the very best!